'The world was on fire and no one could save me but you. It's strange what desire can make foolish people do. I'd never dreamt that I'd meet somebody like you.'
Wicked game - Chris Isaak
"Everyone ready to go?" Carter called from behind the wheel of his car.
"I think we're good. Lou did you pack the beer?" Harry asked his mate who was enjoying his seat in the back of the big black Rover. Louis caressed the arm rest and whistled to himself. Damn did he wish he had Harry's car. It was such a nice ride, such a waste, he thought.
"Lou?" Harry asked again.
"Hmm?" Louis opened his eyes and looked over at his right where Nina was sitting, smirking at him. He liked her.
"The booze." She repeated, nudging him to response.
"Ugh, yup, got it." His suddenly cheery voice making everyone in the car giggle.
"Then we're good to go." Harry shouted back at Carter through the window while starting up the engine. He took a look in the rear view mirror and smiled at Nina who was laughing with Louis' lazy attitude. "Seatbelts please." He reminded everyone of the number one safety rule and drove out of the parking spot when he heard three clicks.
"Astrid, could you type the address into the GPS, please." Harry asked while trying, yes trying, to tome down the annoyance in his voice.
The situation Harry found himself in seemed to be one of the downsides of his past lifestyle choice. He had experienced it before, so he knew a little bit how to deal with it, however some girls were simply desperate.
And Astrid Pierce was one of them.
She had been one of his one-timers a year ago and still up to this day didn't get the memo that Harry didn't want anything more from her or with her. He met her at the pub where his mates regularly watched football matches together, the same place where he had got the courage to go up to Nina and talk to her. In contrast to Nina, Astrid sadly was an easy (and drunk) target who was easily swept of her feet. Harry smooth talked her, showed her his magic tricks in and out the bedroom and was gone out of her life by the next morning after explaining and agreeing that nothing more would come of this. As usual.
How terribly wrong he had been to think Astrid would give up this easily. For a year, she had managed to not only drive Harry insane with annoyance and guilt, she had even been that cunning to start a rumour about the two of them having a serious relationship. It spread like wildfire. Anyway, long story short, even now, a year later, Astrid managed to befriend some of his own friends and creep into the gang just to get to him. When Astrid came up to him to apologise for the things she had done and agreeing to a strictly platonic and friendly relationship, Harry actually believed her.
Until recently.
Until Nina came into the picture. Because not only Louis and Niall could see that something was definitely blossoming between those two, Astrid too had noticed the little smiles, the flirty winks, the gentle caresses, basically all the things she wanted Harry to do to her. She couldn't comprehend why on earth Harry was so enwrapped and smitten by her. She wasn't tall, she wasn't a skinny minger like most of his previous flings (and herself). However, she did have a pretty face, but apart from that, what did she have that Astrid didn't?
Every time she saw the handsome boy look in the rear view mirror and give one of those dimpled smiles to that bitch, the rage took over and she had to start another conversation to distract him...to everyone's annoyance, mostly Harry's.
•|•
Nina took a deep breath of the fresh sea air, enjoying the feeling of her lungs being filled with clean, healthy oxygen, adding another reason why this trip was one of the best decisions she had made in a long time. She needed a little bit of time just for herself, where she didn't have to worry about things such as the relationship between her mum and dad. It was dead anyway.
She suddenly felt two firm hands on the back of her shoulders. She closed her eyes and smiled lightly. She knew exactly who it was and turned around to find a smiling Niall. She returned the smile and turned her head back to the appealing view of the waves hitting the cliff a little further down the edge of the beach. Niall came to stand next to her and put his hands in his pockets.
"Hello stranger." Nina said after a relaxing moment of peaceful silence between the two friends. Niall turned his gaze from the sea to his friend next to him.
"I'm no stranger." He said with a chuckle.
"Well, it certainly feels like it." Nina then sighed and sets in turn her own eyes on Niall. She smiled with a hint of melancholy, wondering if he felt it too.
"It does, doesn't it?" Niall agreed. "I'm sorry. I know I've been a shit friend lately. We still haven't had that talk." Niall thought back to his promise he had once made to Nina after her ex cheated on her. He closed his eyes and cursed at himself. He knew very well Nina wasn't as strong as she let on, she had been feeling down and he wasn't there for her, he wasn't keeping his promise.
"Don't do that. Don't worry about me, I'm fine, Nialler." Nina said when she saw the usual little lines of worry on his forehead when he frowned. "Seriously, don't."
"But I promised you I would look after you, after...you know...what happened." He sighed, not wanting to bring back Nina's pain with his careless words, "And you've been acting weird."
"I'm. Fine." Nina turned to the boy and placed her hand on his shoulder. She squeezed it for assurance while looking him in the eyes.
"Is it because of him?" Niall asked carefully, not wanting to push anything. Nina turned back towards the sea, squinted her eyes to shield them from the fiery sun and tilted her head to the left.
"I don't know." She whispered.
"What's going on between you two?" Niall had to know.
"I don't know, Niall." She repeated, a little more agitated this time. "And to be honest, at this moment I don't want to know."
"I don't get it." Niall frowned again, not understanding the meaning of Nina's explanation.
"Well I don't get it either." Nina turned around, looking back at the group further ahead. She sighed and crossed her arms. "Ni, just don't ask about it. I don't know what's happening, but whatever Harry's doing, he's doing a great job to make me forget the shit that happened."
"Okay." He agreed. "I just don't trust him. He's got a reputation, I-I just-"
"Niall, stop. Focus on your own relationship first. Work on it, cherish it. Please," She smiled at him encouragingly, "I'm not mad at you for not keeping your promise if that's what you're thinking. I know I can come to you with whatever shit I have to get of my chest. I'm not mad okay? Besides, how could I? Especially since I've seen you so happy with Michelle."
She saw a sliver of hesitation, of resistance in his blue blue eyes, but urged him with a smile to stop overthinking his situation. Whatever she had said, was true. She didn't want Niall to keep babysitting her, she wanted him to focus on his own life. She didn't know whatever was happening with Harry, but deep down she had to admit she liked it. She turned her head once more to Niall and saw his lips parted, readying themselves to whisper some words, but a cheery, slightly bossy voice from none other than Louis called them over.
"Hey, you two over there, come on over. We're setting up the tents."
"Stop moping, Ni, and have some fun with your girl." Nina smiled while winking at him. He smiled back and took her hand. Both friends ran up to catch up to the rest of the group who were eagerly deciding on who would sleep in which tent.
"I'm sleeping with Niall." Michelle stated without any consideration. Both Timothy and Carter started whooping while Louis smugly smiled.
"We know, honey. Please don't be too loud."
"Stop messing with her." Niall said, a little out of breath when both him and Nina joined the group. Michelle smiled away her blood red cheeks and searched a good hiding place in Niall's embrace.
"Anyway. Liam, come on, let's build that fucking tent." Carter smiled over at him and grabbed for his hand. He skipped over and took the plan out of his.
"And give me that. You suck." Carter added while Liam stuck out his tongue and made everyone laugh including Nina who was standing by herself, looking over at an uncomfortable Harry with Astrid next to him.
She looked down at her feet and considered walking over to him instead of standing as a lonely cow at the other side of the circle the group had formed. However she didn't want to seem desperate or clingy, so she stayed put and thought back to the conversation Niall and herself had a few minutes ago. The uncertainty and the unclarity did sting just a little since she had never been the type to jump into the unknown. Her attention was caught by Louis once again.
"Tim, we're up." Nina saw him walk over to one of the tents packs on the ground and chose the biggest one yet...of course.
"Oi, Lou." Harry shouted for the first time in a while, "What about me?" Louis gave him a mischievous smile and turned towards Nina with a smirk on his annoying face. He let go of the tent, making it fall to the ground, and crossed his arms in a sassy way.
"You two are going to share. It was all planned out from the beginning."
"And I? Don't I have a say in this?" Astrid suddenly said with a sharp edge to her voice.
"No." Louis stated with a bossy finality. "You're with Annie." Astrid's mouth shut tightly and a very offended look took over her features. She squinted her eyes at Louis and walked over to him with her finger pointing fiercely at him.
"Ugh, Lou. Some explanation please?" Harry asked again while looking at Nina, the humour of the situation clear in his eyes. Nina smiled back and shrugged her shoulders.
"There's not much to explain. You. Nina. A tent. It was my absolute pleasure." He uttered smugly while walking away from Harry. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got urgent matters to attend to."
"Urgent matters as in building a tent?" Tim asked him sarcastically, making Nina chuckle.
"Yes that and trying to calm down a fury."
Lou said after taking Astrid with him to the other side. Tim followed suite and took the abbanded tent with him, leaving Harry and Nina on their own. Nina walked over to Harry with a lazy step and took the little round bag from the ground. She took a good look at it and gave it to the boy in front of her once she had reached him. Harry gazed down at Nina and took the tent with clear confusion in his eyes.
"You're putting that tent up. I'm not touching that." Nina decided on the spot.
"Oh, really? And why should I do all the work?" Harry placed one hand on his hip which made Nina chuckle once again.
"Because I've never done it before. Simple."
"Then you need to learn." Harry teased her. She rolled her eyes, but it was the sudden mischief in her dark brown eyes which made Harry both nervous and turned on at the same time.
"No way. You're doing it or else I'm swapping tents with Astrid." Nina smirked when she saw the reaction on his face. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open. She sat down onto the sand and picked patiently at her nails. "Come on. Chop chop." She giggled. Harry shook his head and started unpacking the necessary equipment. "There's a good boy."
"I'm only doing this because I would much rather share a tent with you than with her." Harry mumbled in a cute manner where his pink lips pouted and his brows frowned.
"I know you would. It's called leverage." Nina teased.
"No, it's called blackmail." Harry joked back while Nina shrugged at his words.
"Same thing."
•|•
After a long day of laughing, bonding and simply celebrating the end of the exams, Harry found himself staring at Nina from across the camp fire with his favourite guitar in hand. He and Niall decided to play some jiggles just to pass the time and keep the fun, light atmosphere going. Astrid retired to her tent a long time ago which gave him the opportunity to enjoy his time with Nina to the fullest.
She had been so different today from when he had first met her after all those years apart. She was a carefree bundle of happiness and energy, making her the most attractive she had ever been. Her alluring eyes still caught his attention, but the allure was mixed with a newfound glow of excitement, of joy he hadn't seen before.
Her smooth, rather husky voice sounded as music to his ears and even now, hearing her sexy laugh above all else, made him want to stand up, drag her to the tent and kiss her senseless. His fingers strung an unknown melody. He simply made it up on the spot whilst looking at the woman he was slowly falling in love with. Seeing her, in the warm glow of the campfire, talking to his best friend as if the two had known each other for years, made him realise a very vital thing.
Nina StPierre was one very special woman, a woman he could not bear to lose.
He looked at the ground to hide his smile when he thought back to the kiss they had shared and everything it had made him feel. Everything it still made him feel. When he looked back up, Nina wasn't sitting in the same spot anymore. He looked over at Niall, but couldn't find her at his, nor Michelle's side. He suddenly felt two smaller, but warm and soft hands block his view. He smiled to himself and sighed. Harry placed his own hands over the small ones.
"Who were you looking for?" Nina's warm voice whispered in his ear.
"You." He simply said before removing her hands and turning his head to her. She smiled tenderly and sat down by his side on the sand.
"I thought you were looking for Astrid." She giggled.
"Will you stop!" Harry exclaimed with a smile. Nina raised her hands after having had a good laugh.
"Fine, I will." She said in mock defence.
"It's not what you think it is anyway." Harry said, suddenly taking on a serious tone. Nina stopped laughing and looked him in the eyes.
"What am I thinking then?" She wondered out loud.
"I didn't use and drop her as she pretends I did." Harry felt the need to defend himself, even though he was well aware he shouldn't be feeling this way, especially not towards lovely Nina.
"I wasn't thinking that at all, actually."
"No?" Harry sounded genuinely surprised which made Nina chuckle.
"No. I was thinking Astrid simply looked for her own trouble by hooking up with you. She should have known what she was getting herself into."
"Hey lads." Louis' voice grabbed everyone's attention. Nina's kind eyes left Harry's troubled ones and turned to Lou.
"I've got a brilliant idea."
______________
Hello everyone,
I'm so sorry for the long wait and that I have to keep repeating this. The problem is pretty simple. I have so much to do for uni, it's insane, plus I'm still struggling with that awful writer's block. I had hoped to get rid of it sooner, but here I am still suffering from it and ergo making this crappy chapter.
I had it planned out this way (I mean roughly whatever was going to happen) but I simply can't get it right on paper. Perhaps I pushed myself to hard by constantly trying to make it
This book better than my previous one, but so far, I don't really think I succeeded. But I'll keep trying and keep writing. I think the only way to get rid of the block, is by keeping on writing until I come to a point where I feel happy again when I'm writing. Because now it kind of feels like something I need to do out of pressure. I don't want to make you wait too long, but therefore I need to 'speed-write' and that's something I really don't like.
Anyway, I'll stop my rant here and just let you enjoy the rest. Hopefully you'll find this chapter a little better than I do.
Please be patient with me, comment and vote. I know I will get through this and knowing I have your support will make it that much easier.
Thanks again.
Lots of love
Laetitia.